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Racing's all in the family for Rahal

Graham Rahal has a chance to do what his father did 23 years ago: Put open-wheel racing on the map in Toronto.

Indy driver Graham Rahal and his mom Debi have been visiting Debi's family cottage in New Brunswick this week (July 8, 2009). Rahal is the son of famous driver Bobby Rahal. (RON McQUEENEY / INDYCAR.COM)

By Kevin McGranSPORTS REPORTER

Thu., July 9, 2009

Graham Rahal has a chance to do what his father did 23 years ago: Put open-wheel racing on the map in Toronto.

It was 1986 when Bobby Rahal crossed the finish line first at a makeshift track through the streets of downtown Toronto in the inaugural Molson Indy.

The race became a fixture on the Toronto sports scene, and one of the most popular on the open-wheel circuit.

Now back as the Honda Indy Toronto in the reunited Indy Car Series, it boasts a slew of young stars – like Graham Rahal – who have a chance to be the face of racing for years to come.

"I'd much rather me be the face of the series than some others," said Rahal, admitting that his last name helps opens doors, but comes with considerable pressure. "I try to put that behind me and ignore it as much as I can.

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"The most pressure I'm going to have is the pressure I put on myself rather than the pressure someone else put on me."

So far, he's doing pretty well. In 2007, as a rookie, he finished fifth overall in the Champ Car driver's standings in the series' final season. Last year, in the inaugural season of the reunified IndyCar circuit, he finished 17th overall, but got his first major open-wheel victory, winning the St. Petersburg Grand Prix.

Rahal is expected in town today after spending the last few days catching up with his Canadian roots. His mom, Debi, is Canadian and every summer she visits her family's cabin in St. Andrew's, N.B. Rahal made the drive there Sunday right after his race in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

"I've been coming up here every summer of my life," Rahal said by phone from New Brunswick, "so this kind of fit perfectly for me to come up here, and then go Toronto."

Debi and Bobby are divorced. Bobby is expected in town to watch his son race.

"We're very similar drivers," Graham Rahal said. "We both have very smooth driving styles."

Bobby, of course, is a legend among race-car drivers. He won the 1986 Indianapolis 500 as a driver, then in 2004 as an owner. He won 24 times in the CART series, taking the driver's title three times.

At just 20 years old, Graham Rahal is happy that he's finally no longer considered a rookie. When you spend just one year per level – dominating as you go – the rookie label gets a little old.

"It's nice to be in the same series two years running," said Rahal. "We still have along way to go before we get to the top. We've been very close at times. But we haven't been able to quite get there."

Rahal drives for Newman-Haas-Lanigan, a once-dominant team that has had the likes of Michael Andretti and Paul Tracy in seats over the years. It's going through a learning curve with young drivers Rahal and rookie Robert Doornbos in the year and a half since the two racing series merged.

"The team is used to going out every single week and dominating, and it's not happening any more, and it's testing a lot of people's wills. That's the way this thing goes," said Rahal.

But Rahal promises the victories will come with time.

"We're always learning; about the cars, about the tracks we go to," said Rahal. "Every time you go to a track you learn something new no matter if you've been there a million times or just once.''

Rahal has raced twice before in Toronto, winning the pole but getting bumped early in 2006 Formula Atlantic, a sour spot he hasn't forgotten, and as a rookie in 2007 in the final year of the CART series. He was out after the 52nd lap.

"It'd be great to win in Toronto," said Rahal. "I think it's an opportunity for us to win. The road courses are always our best shot."

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